Magazine-firearm.



No. 675,004. Patented May 28, |90I. H. HARRIS.

MAGAZINE FIREABM.'

(Appl at on l dNov 19 1900) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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No. 675,004. -Patented May 28, l90l. H. HARRIS.

MAGAZINE FIREARM.

(Application led Nov. 19, 1900.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets--Sheei 2.

IINTTEE STATES PATENT OEETEEe HENRY HARRIS, OF OONGLETON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO TIIE HARRIS RIFLE MAGAZINE, LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

MAGAZINE-FIREARIVI.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 675,004, dated May 28, 1901.

Application filed November 19, 1900. Serial No. 37,075. (No model.)

To (LZ/l whom, it indy con/007%:

Be it known that I, HENRY HARRIS, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain` residing at No. IlvVest street, Congleton, in the county of Chester, England, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Magazine-Firearms, of which the following is a specication.

My invention relates to improved mechanism applicable to rifles and the like havinga magazine of the box type for instantly opening to the full extent the said magazine, so that a full set of cartridges, free from any band or clip, can be dropped loose into it and will arrange and adjust themselves therein by gravity alone.

Endeavors have been made-as, for instance, see British Patent No. 3,856 of 1893- to attain the above object, but with only partial success.

My construction provides a mechanism which has the merit of greatsimplicity and strength of construction and is, moreover, safe and reliable in action. The actuating' thumb-piece is placed exactly where the left hand of the user requires it for quick action, and a single movement thereof raises or depresses the magazine-platform. The depression, moreover, is not liable to be caused accidentally.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure I shows a vertical section of the mechanism of the magazine in position relatively to the other operative parts of a rifle. Fig. II shows a vertical elevation and partial section of the magazine and its mechanism. Fig. III shows the corresponding plan view. Fig. IV shows a modiication of the magazine-platform levers. Fig. V shows a section of Fig. IV on the line A B.

Referring to Figs. I, II, and III, the triggerguard l has a forward extension 2, on which themechanism is pivoted, as shown. The magazine 3, suitably strengthened underneath, is filled from the top.

The platform 6, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is of the ordinary LeelWIetford type; but any other platform adapted to the particular make of riiie to which my improvement may be added may be used. This platform 6 is provided with the lugs 7,

lthe platform-lever S.

between which is pivoted the upper end of This lever Sis pivoted at 9 on a horizontal screw or pin carried by the extension 2, and its lower slotted end engages on the pin I0, secured to the laterallybent end of the bar 1I. This bar ll has its fore-end internally threaded and screwed onto the bolt l2, operated by the thumb-lever 13, which thread allows The spiral spring .14 to be adjusted and maintained at the proper tension. The laterallybent bar 1I is also made square in section to prevent canting or turning in its bearings. The bolt l2 is impelled toward the fore-end of the rifle by the spiral spring 14. The main screw l5 passes vertically upward, as shown, and the laterally-bent bar Il is arranged to clear it.

The thumb-lever 13 is fixed on a horizontal pin 16, supported in bearings forming part ot' the extension 2. To this pin is attached the dog 17, engaging with one side of a notch in the bolt 12 in order to operate the same. The level of the platform 6 is maintained by aid of the lever 18, supported on the lever 8. -In the construction shown in Figs. II and III the lever I8 presses against the upper edge of an aperture in the magazine-case. In Fig. IV a sliding lever having its lower end in contact with the inside of the magazine and sliding in a groove of the lever 8 is shown.

In the accompanying drawings the mechanism which forms the subject of this application for Letters Patent is illustrated in combination with the improved magazine of my invention which forms the subject of a separate patent application.

My improved magazine ismuch more convenient for the user than a magazine which projects beneath the fore part of the riflestock, as it admits of the rifie being carried upon the shoulder in the upright position. The magazine, as shown, has a capacity of five cartridges, but could obviously be made of larger or smaller capacity, or a suitable magazine of other construction might be substituted.

In the construction shown the whole of the mechanism, including the magazine, can be taken out of their place by removing only two screws.

A cut-off of the kind usual in magazinerifles is provided, and the riiie can be used as IOO a single-loader Without interference with the magazine.

It Will be obvious that equivalent mechanical parts may be introduced Without departing from the principle of my construction. For instance, the lever l1 might be constructed as a toothed segment and the end of the lever 8 made to correspond thereto; but the action thereof would obviously be the same as that already set forth. The construction, however, found by long experiment to be the most convenient is shown in the drawings, and the thumb-piece 12 is placed in such a position With regard to the balance of the rifie that it is-under complete control when the rifle is held at the ready in the most convenient position for reloading. It is found in practice that by merely grasping the riflestock to hold it steady in the loading position the left thumb Will almost unconsciously depress the lever 13, and consequently as soon as the shooter -draWs back the bolt he finds the magazine-platform lowered and the magazine ready to receive the fresh cartridges, which are conveniently taken .loose from a suitable holder. and dropped in a handful into the magazine.

The device for containing the cartridges before loading and that for ejecting the spent cases from the rifle after firing, the cut-off, and the means of pushing the cartridgesinto the explosion-chamber and firing them form no part of the present invention.

l. In a repeating rearm an open-topped magazine, a movable platform within said magazine, lever mechanism adapted to control the said platform, a spring-controlled bar operatively connected to the said lever m echanism, and atransverse pin bearing a thumblever and operatively connected to said bar, substantially as set forth.

2. In a repeating firearm an open-topped magazine havingits lower part approximately level with the fore-end of the stock, a movable platform Within said magazine, a double-lever mechanism pivoted to said platform and to the fore-end of the stock and adapted to'raise or lower it within the magazine approximately parallel to the horizontal plane of said magazine, a bent connecting-bar having a pivot adapted to engage in the slotted end of the said lever mechanism, a spiral spring on said bar, and a transverse shaft with dog and thumb-lever adapted to engage with said bar, substantially as set forth.

3. In a repeating firearm, an open-topped magazine having rigidly-united Walls and base, a platform Within said magazine, a lever pivoted on the fore-end ofthe stock outside the magazine, and passing into the same through a slot in the front Wall of the magazine, said lever pivotally connected to the under side of the platform at about its center of gravity, a second lever slidingly supported on the aforesaid lever and having its upper end in sliding contact with the nnder side of the platform and its lower end in contact with the front Wall of the magazine and mechanism for operating the said levers.

Il. In a repeating firearm an open-topped magazine, a platform in said magazine, lever mechanism operatively connected to said platform, a divided bar adapted to slide in sockets integral With the fore-end of the stock, said bar having its hinder end laterally and vertically bent and its fore-end notched to receive the dog of the thumb-lever shaft, a fixed pin attached to the rear end of the bar and adapted to engage in the slot of the platform-lever, a spiral spring surrounding the bar and pressing against a socket on the foreend of the stock and an abutment on the bar respectively, a transverse shaft having a dog in operative connection with the notch in the fore-end of the bar and a thumb-lever on its projecting left-hand end, substantially as set forth.

5. In a repeating firearm an open-topped magazine, means for supporting and raising cartridges in said magazine, the two-part bar l2 With doubly-bent rear end 1l, the pin l0 adapted to engage with the slotted end of the lever 8, the spiral spring 14, the shaft 16, the dog 1'7 and the thumb-lever 13, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand to this specification in the presence of tivo subscribing Witnesses.

H. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

HERBERT SEEToN-JoNEs, LEONARD EDnUND IIAYNES. 

